This sense of purpose and forward-thinking approach led Kendrick to Sandow Lakes Ranch in 2021, a 33,000-acre property northeast of Austin in the heart of the “Texas Triangle.” Kendrick firmly believes that everything he had done before led him to this place and time, truly what he was destined for. The property was once the largest aluminum smelter on earth, built in 1950 by the Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa), and is now being transformed into a model of sustainability and innovation under Kendrick’s guidance. The first-announced phase of the project includes a 3,500-acre Advanced Manufacturing and Logistix Campus (AMLC), a 50 million-square-foot master-planned industrial park with a range of occupier prospects, including Amazon.
But at the heart of Kendrick’s vision for Sandow Lakes Ranch is sustainability. The development aspires to be carbon-neutral, focuses on creating a live-work environment that supports young families, and addresses many of the core challenges we face as a society today, from the high cost of living to quality food and water insecurity. Kendrick aims to capitalize on innovative greenhouse technology allowing multiple yearly crops with minimal water usage and no pesticides. The property’s 15 lakes and one of the largest fully permitted and vested subsurface water rights in Texas also open opportunities for sustainable practices, such as salmon farming.
“I think the younger generation is very focused on their experience here on Earth and their quality of life, which I think is great.” Kendrick said. “We’re trying to build a place where those people can live, work, and thrive. We’re working hard to make this a truly special, unique, and beautiful place.”
Kendrick’s commitment to inclusive, sustainable economic growth is not limited to Sandow Lakes. In 2021, he made a pivotal $20 million gift to support the USC Marshall global supply chain management program. In recognition, the program was renamed the Randall R. Kendrick Global Supply Chain Institute. The Institute shapes innovative, responsible leaders who embrace resiliency, agility, and sustainability in the organizations and communities that enrich the world — a top priority for Kendrick, USC Marshall Dean Geoffrey Garrett, and Associate Professor of Clinical Data Sciences and Operations Nick Vyas, who heads the institute. As an official USC “moonshot,” the university has pledged to go carbon neutral by 2025 — which aligns perfectly with Kendrick’s vision for the future. The gift, the third largest in USC Marshall’s 100-year history, also supported scholarships, endowed faculty, and other resources.
Kendrick looks forward to future opportunities to leverage his valued Marshall network for creative and other development aspects of the project.
As Kendrick continues to develop Sandow Lakes and expand his operations at Xebec, he remains focused on a more sustainable future — on developing a model for living that can be recognized and emulated around the world.
“The United States is on the precipice of a manufacturing Renaissance,” Kendrick said. “And if you’re willing to get up in the morning and go to work, there aren’t any limits to what you can do.”
The American dream is alive and well, and Kendrick is proof. With Sandow Lakes, Kendrick isn’t just building a town the size of San Francisco — he’s building a legacy.